Wolf mode

'Ah, hello, Aria.'

'Oh, hey... I didn't realise it was you at first. You look different.'

'Full moon. You needn't worry, though. I'm perfectly harmless in wolf mode. Is Topaz here?'

'I just heard her go in the shower. Uh, you'd better come in.'

'I see. Is it okay for me to wait around until she's ready?'

'Sure! You can wait in the kitchen. I'll get you a drink if you like.'

'Thank you, that would be nice.'

'What would you like?'

'I'll have a coffee, if that's not too much trouble.'

'No problem.'

'So... how have you been?'

'I took a baseball bat to Tate's face. That was good.'

'...I see. Well, considering what Topaz told me about his recent behaviour, I'll save my tears for someone else.'

'Good. The fucker doesn't deserve any sympathy. Edward wasn't impressed though. I kinda promised him I'd stop getting myself into dangerous situations.'

'I hope Tate doesn't make a target of you over this.'

'I do. One of the reasons I did it was to deflect attention away from Nyla. If Tate's angry at me and wanting revenge, he should hopefully forget about wanting to do anything to her.'

'That's very selfless of you, although it would be better if you stayed safe too.'

'Thanks. Well, apart from all that, I finally went to the doctor today... they put me on some medication and I'm on a waiting list for counselling.'

'That's good?'

'Yeah.'

'I hope it works out for you.'

'Thanks... so what about you? What have you been up to?'

'Just work. I could tell you about my new project, but I doubt you're a plant enthusiast. You'd probably find it immensely boring.'

'Heh, probably. No offence or anything. I wouldn't be smart enough to understand it anyway.'

'Ah, it's not about intelligence. It's just specialised. I'm sure you'd understand it if you had studied it.'

'I guess. Sometimes I think it might've been nice to go to university, but then again I don't know what I'd study. What was it like anyway? I don't really know many people who have been. Just Edward, really, and he ended up being a professor.'

'It was okay. Plenty would say it's the best time of your life, but I don't really have the personality for that. There was a lot of partying and... well, socialising in general. Not much good for someone like me. I'm too introverted. Too boring.'

'Hey, I bet you're not boring. What hobbies do you do?'

'Hmm... I practise martial arts. That's how I got here, actually, through teleportation.'

'Oh, really? Me too!'

'Yes, I saw the equipment in your room.'

'Ah... it does help, a bit. It's been good for my anger issues. Even though it has gone out of the window recently...'

'Yes, well, even excluding Tate, I'm sure Miles Atwood could drive a bloody saint to violence. God, he is annoying.'

'Really?'

'Really. Thankfully, I don't tend to see him much, being on different levels.'

'Good.'

'I'm fortunate enough to work on the same level as my cousin. Actually, I think you'd find his work much more interesting. He grows plant babies.'

'...Plant babies?'

'Yes. The species name is lule. Have you heard of them?'

'Not really, though I've heard bits here and there about plant people. I wasn't sure if they actually existed.'

'They do, but they're not native to our world. See, my cousin is married to one, so they grow lule babies.'

'Like, harvesting them from the ground?'

'Exactly like that. They work as a kind of adoption agency, giving them to people who can't have biological children for whatever reason.'

'Wow... Y'know, I can think of someone who might be interested in that.'

'Oh?'

'My sister. She's desperate to be a mum, but she'll have to rely on adoption. There'll be no bio kids for her and her husband.'

'In that case, why don't I pass on my cousin's number? Perhaps she could call him and ask about it.'

'That sounds great.'

'...Hey, I told Topaz she doesn't have to carry on working for Tate if she doesn't want to. After he sexually harassed her, I don't expect her to ever go near the twat again.'

'To which I said that I can put up with it, because it's good if one of us can keep an eye on him.'

'Oh, hi... you really don't need to put yourself out there for us though.'

'It's fine, honestly. If it helps, it helps. I'd like to see the end of him as well, so I really don't mind contributing.'

'You may as well let her. She can be very stubborn.'

'Look who's talking! You might be the most stubborn person I know, Izzy.'

'Don't call me that.'

'Why, does she do it a lot?'

'Yes, she does. She does it to wind me up. It works, too. Do I look like an Izzy to you?'

'No, but it's a sister's job to be annoying. I'm just the same as Topaz when it comes to my own siblings. Too fun to resist.'

'See, Aria gets it! Hey, Ari, you haven't seen him in wolf mode yet, have you?'

'No, I haven't seen anyone in wolf mode. Hey, if it's full moon, how come you're not?'

'Oh, it's a long story. But Isai... he's like a total puppy.'

'Topaz, no-'

'Which means I'm gonna have to demonstrate!'

'If this is the direction we're going, I'm leaving.'

'He really likes his belly rubs. C'mere Isai!'

'Absolutely not! Don't make me go like that in front of Aria!'

'Sorry, but there's no escape!'

*tickle tickle*

'Haha no, stop that! I- I don't like it!'

*contented growling*

'Holy shit, wow.'

'See, he always succumbs in the end. He can't help giving in to the doggy side. He'll be pissed about it later though.'

'Oh bless him, he looks like he's enjoying himself.'

'He does. It's brilliant. You should have a go too.'

'Much as I'd love to, I think he might just kill me!'